Oda
The Oda clan (織田氏, Oda-shi), also called Ota clan during the Edo Period, was known as one of the most powerful and rebellious clans in Japan during the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Their power grew into decline when Nobunaga's vassal, Hashiba Hideyoshi, avenged his master's death and became the dominant ruler of the land. Their origins are unknown and torn between four accounts. According to Nobunaga and his family chart, his clan are distant descendants of the Kammu-Heishi (Taira) from either Taira no Sukemori or Taira no Chikazane. He also claimed that his ancestors were Fujiwara no Toshihito's descendants and wrote at Atsuta Shrine that Sugawara no Michizane was his ancestor. Another story says that they are actually the Imibi clan, servants of the Shiba clan. The idea that they are a clan who began from simple roots in the Ibego or Owari Provinces also exist. What is known for sure is that the Oda was known as under family name during the 1400's. The mukou is a graceful seal from China which has several different meanings and users. It is said to either be a wisteria flower, a bird's feathers, the sleeping beauty flower or a deviation of the paulownia seal. During the Tang Dynasty, it was originally based on a bird and its nest, and it was a seal for shrines to represent auspicious hopes for the family's future children. It was first used as a family crest in Japan by Tokudaiji Saneyoshi during the Heian period and it gained several variations ever since. Clan Heads The following only lists the branch that Nobunaga's ancestors came from; it does not include Hidenobu's descendants or any other branches. #Sukenobu #Nobusada #Nobuhide #Nobunaga #Nobutada #Hidenobu Other Notable Figures *Toshisada *Nobumitsu *Nobutsugu *Nobuhiro *Nobumasa *Hidenori *Nobukatsu *Hidekatsu (Hashiba Hidekatsu) *Katsunaga *Nobunari Ladies *Tsuchida Gozen - Nobuhide's wife; Nobunaga's mother *Oinu - Nobunaga's younger sister who he adored as much as Oichi; Saji Nobukata and Hosokawa Nobuyoshi's wife. *Oichi - Nobunaga's youngest sister; Azai Nagamasa's and Shibata Katsuie's wife. *Otsuya - Nobunaga's aunt *Nōhime - Nobunaga's wife *Ikoma Kitsuno - Nobunaga's concubine; Nobutada, Nobukatsu and Tokuhime's mother *Onabe - Nobunaga's concubine; Nobuyoshi and Ofuri's mother *Tokuhime - Nobunaga's eldest daughter; loosely tied to the Kagemusha Ieyasu theory *Fuyuhime - Nobunaga's daughter; Gamō Ujisato's wife *Hideko - Nobunaga's daughter; Tsutsui Sadatsugu's wife *Eihime - Nobunaga's daughter; Maeda Toshinaga's wife Major Vassals Four Guardian Kings of Oda The Four Guardian Kings of Oda (織田四天王) were four generals Nobunaga personally believed to heavily contribute to his doctrine, Tenka Fubu. #Shibata Katsuie #Niwa Nagahide #Takigawa Kazumasu #Akechi Mitsuhide Five Great Generals of Oda The Five Great Generals of Oda (織田五大将) are five generals who Nobunaga also commended for his conquests. It's speculated that this title was mostly created to add Hideyoshi among his list of closest generals. #Shibata Katsuie #Niwa Nagahide #Takigawa Kazumasu #Akechi Mitsuhide #Hashiba Hideyoshi Other Vassals *Hirate Masahide *Hayashi Hidesada *Sakuma Nobumori *Sakuma Morishige *Murai Sadakatsu *Naito Shōsuke *Hasakawa Hidekazu *Kawajiri Hidetaka *Sakai Masahisa *Harada Naomasa *Mori Yoshinari *Mizuno Nobumoto *Hori Hidemasa *Maeda Toshiie *Sassa Narimasa *Sakuma Morimasa *Yamauchi Kazutoyo *Yanada Masatsuna *Hachisuka Masakatsu *Ōta Ushikazu *Inoe Sadamune *Ikeda Tsuneoki *Uozumi Hayato *Ujiie Naomoto *Andō Morinari *Inaba Yoshimichi *Fuwa Mitsuharu *Takenaka Shigeharu *Gamō Ujisato *Isono Kazumasa *Araki Murashige *Takayama Ukon *Hosokawa Fujitaka *Matsunaga Hisahide *Kuki Yoshitaka *Kuroda Yoshitaka *Mori Naritoshi *Atsuji Sadayuki *Ikeda Motosuke *Mutō Kiyohide *Kanamori Nagachika *Tokudaiji Sanehisa Retainer Families *Shibata *Niwa *Hashiba *Akechi *Sakuma *Hayashi *Hirate *Maeda *Sassa *Takigawa Main Castles This list is mostly for Nobunaga, Nobuo and Nobutaka. *Shoubada Castle *Nagoya Castle *Furuwatari Castle *Kiyosu Castle *Komakiyama Castle *Gifu Castle *Azuchi Castle *Tsu Castle *Ueno Castle *Tamaru Castle *Matsugashima Castle *Nagashima Castle Gallery Taira-mon.svg.png|Ageha-cho (swallowtail butterfly) seal the Taira used Ashikaga mon.svg.png|Two hikiryou Nobunaga-coin.jpg|Eiraku Tsusho (永楽通宝) coin External Links *Oda clan *Oyakatasama - Nobunaga Oda Category:Clans